Religious Issues

1. Religious Issues

2. Secularism and Theocracy • Secularism • Movement away from control of life by a religion • Secularists are often associated with being indifferent to religion or rejecting it all together • Many Western democracies have secular principles, formally declaring the separation of government and religion • Theocracy • Government run by a religion • Existed in the former government of Afghanistan • Run by the Taliban • Group of fundamentalist Muslim who controlled all aspects of life for the Afghani people • Today: Iran

4. Interfaith vs. Intrafaith boundaries • Interfaith boundaries • Divide space between two or more religions • Intrafaith boundaries • Divide space within one religion, often among denominations

5. Interfaith Conflict

6. Intrafaith Conflict

7. Religion vs. Government Conflict • Religious groups may oppose government policies seen as promoting social change conflicting with traditional religious values • Islam has particularly been affected by a perceived conflict between religious values and modernization of the economy • Hinduism has also been forced to react to new non-religious ideas from the west • Buddhism, Christianity and Islam have all been challenged by Communist governments that diminish the importance of religion in society

8. Religion vs. Social Change • Taliban vs. Western Values • Taliban rose to power in Afghanistan in 1996 • Taliban means “religious students” • Once in control of government, the Taliban imposed strict laws inspired by Islamic values as the Taliban interpreted them • Banned: • western “leisure activities” • TV and Internet • Homosexuals buried alive, prostitutes hung in public, stoning for adultery • Taliban believed they had been called by Allah to purge Afghanistan of sin and violence • Hinduism vs. Social Equality • Hinduism has been strongly challenged since the 1800s • English Colonization • Issue is caste system • Until recently castes and subcastes were part of rigid system • Lack of interaction • Problems • Neglect of untouchables • Economic system • Caste system has been considerably relaxed in recent years • Legally abolished “untouchable” caste • Consciousness persists

10. Religion vs. Communism • Soviet Union • Orthodox Church • Russian orthodox church of Russia since 1721 C.E. • Marxism the official “doctrine” with Bolshevik revolution in 1917 • Religion an “opium of the people” – Karl Marx • Eliminated the official church 1918 • Buildings nationalized • Beliefs persisted, although knowledge decreased • End of communism = revival of religion • Islam • Main religion in Central Asian countries • Also dominated by U.S.S.R. • Difficulties applying Islam to government • Buddhism vs. SE Asian countries • Buddhist hurt by the Vietnam War • Both sides destroyed and vandalized shrines • Many Buddhists immolated themselves to protest the policies of the South Vietnamese government • Current communist governments have discouraged religious activities and permitted monuments to decay • Angkor Wat – Cambodia

12. Religion vs. Religion • Rise of fundamentalism has led to more intense religious conflict • Def: literal interpretation and strict and intense adherence to basic principles of religion (or branch, denomination, or sect) • In a world increasingly dominated by a global culture and economy, religious fundamentalism is one of the most important ways a group can maintain a distinctive cultural identity • A group convinced that its religious view is THE correct view may spatially intrude upon the territory controlled by other religious groups • Sharia law- the main reason some Muslims oppose any government law is that it is not straight from the Quran.

13. Religion vs. Religion • Northern Ireland • Most troublesome religious boundary (intrafaith) in Western Europe is in Ireland • Republic of Ireland is 87% Roman Catholic • Became independent in 1937 • North Ireland is part of United Kingdom and is 46% Protestant and 40% Roman Catholic • Voted to stay in the United Kingdom • Protestantism a BIG reason • Conflict • Catholics have been victimized by discriminatory practices, such as exclusion from better jobs and better schools/ • Demonstrations began in 1968 • Since then 3000 have been killed on both sides • A small # of Roman Catholics joined the IRA (Irish Republican Army) • Militant organization dedicated to achieving Irish national unity by any means • A small group of protestants joined the UDF (Ulster Defense Force) • Most are willingly to live peacefully, extremists are the issue

15. Religious Wars in Middle East • Conflict in the Middle East is among the world’s longest standing and most intractable • Jews, Christians, and Muslims have fought for 2,000 years to control Jerusalem and the region around it. • Claims • Jews • “promised land” • Major events of development • Forced to leave, Diaspora • Christians • Consider it “Holy land” • Major events of Jesus' life, death and resurrection • Most inhabitants accepted Christianity during Roman Occupation • Muslims • Widely practiced in region after 7th century • Jerusalem is 3rd holiest city • Where Muhammad ascended into heaven

16. Crusades • 7th century C.E. Muslims captured most of Middle East • Arab army moved west into North Africa and eventually invaded Europe at Gibraltar in 711 C.E. • Conquered Iberian peninsula • Stopped in France by Charles Martel and Battle of Tours 732 C.E. • To the east, Ottoman Turks captured Eastern Orthodox territory and Constantinople in 1453 C.E. • Advanced into Southeast Europe • Into present day Bosnia and Herzegovina • European Christians launched Crusades as an effort to “recapture” the Holy Land from Muslims • 150 year period • First crusade 1099- captured land • Second crusade 1187- lost land • Sixth crusade 1229- peace treaty • Seventh crusade 1244- lost land

17. Palestine • Ottoman Empire controlled Palestine for four centuries • 1516- 1917 • After WWI, Ottoman Empire dismantled and Britain took over Palestine • 1947 • After WWII, the United Nations voted to partition Palestine into two independent states • One Jewish, one Muslim • British withdrew in 1948 • Next day, Arab neighbors declared war on Israel • Armistice signed 1949 that divided control of Jerusalem • Old city part of Jordan (Muslim) • Newer part of city part of Israel • Not allowed to visit Shrines

18. Israel • 1956, 1967, 1973 • Three more wars with Arab neighbors • Most significant 1967 – six day war • Israel captured territory • West Bank (from Jordan) • Jerusalem • Golan Heights (from Syria) • Gaza strip and Sinai peninsula (from Egypt) • Israel returned Sinai to Egypt and Egypt “recognized” Israel’s right to exist • Peace treaty signed 1979 • “Camp David Accords” • Egypt’s President assassinated by extremist Muslims • Successor carried out Treaty

19. Perspective: Palestinians • After 1973 Palestinians emerged as Israel’s prime “opponent” • Egypt and Jordan renounced claims to the Gaza strip and the West Bank and recognized Palestinians as legitimate rulers of these territories • Palestinians saw themselves as legitimate rulers of Israel • 5 groups consider themselves Palestinians • People living in West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem in 1967 • Citizens of Israel who are Muslim • People who fled from Israel after the 1948-1949 war • People who fled from West Bank or Gaza after 1967 war • Citizens of other countries, especially Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia who identify themselves as Palestinians • After capturing West Bank in 1967 Israel permitted building of more than 100 settlements in the territory • 10% of West Bank population • Palestinians regard this as a hostile act • To protect settlers, Israel has military control over most of the West Bank • PLO (Palestinian Liberation Org) • Coordinates fight for Palestinians • Led by Yassir Arafat until death in 2004 • Palestinians not satisfied with territory or power they have received from Israel • Palestinian authority is a limited form of government allowed by Israel in West Bank and Gaza • Palestinians are denied rights • Palestinian divisions • The people have been divided by a struggle for power • Fatah party • Willing to recognize Israel in return for territory • Hamas party • Will not recognize Israel • Considered Terrorist organization

21. Perspective: Israelis • Israel sees itself as a very small country with a Jewish majority surrounded by a region of hostile Muslim Arabs • To deal with neighbors, two elements of landscape are especially meaningful • Country’s pop centers close to international borders making them vulnerable to attack • Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem • Other issue is landforms • Northern half of Israel is a strip of land 50 miles wide between Med. Sea and Jordan River • Three parallel regions • Coastal plain • Series of hills • Jordan River valley • After armistice in 1949, Israel was allocated most of Coastal Plain • Jordan took most of hills between plain and Jordan Valley • Called West Bank (of Jordan River) • Used as a defense position for attacks on Israel • Farther north Syria controlled highlands east of the Valley called Golan Heights • Israel captured territory in 1967 war to stop attacks on lowland population concentrations • Still has military control today • Attacks by Palestinians have continued • Division within Israelis • Some wish to make compromises with Palestinians • Some recently a majority have supported a construction of a barrier to deter Palestinian attacks